ABINGDON, Va. – Abingdon is a town that punches above its weight – way above.
In this small town (pop. 8,270) in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern Virginia, you might expect to find a scattering of mom-and-pop shops along a sleepy Main Street, a diner where the locals gather to catch up on the gossip, and a single B&B that is the traveler’s only option.
What you wouldn’t expect to find is an arts scene that compares to that of Asheville, a slew of restaurants that routinely show up on the “Best of” lists, a historic inn that is the equal of any in the South and an acclaimed theater whose productions rival anything you’ll see on Broadway or London’s West End.
No, I’m not kidding. Just ask Southern Living Magazine, which has been extolling Abingdon’s virtues for years, naming it one of the “20 Most Charming Tiny Towns in the South," and Travel + Leisure, which only this year seems to have discovered it (guess they have been too occupied checking out Algeria and the Azores).
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I recently spent four delightful days in Abingdon, and I can vouch for all the superlatives. Let’s start with the art scene.
Mountain folk are a creative lot, and in Abingdon they have the perfect venue for showcasing their work. The Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace has art in a variety of mediums. Clay, fiber, wood, glass, metal, mixed media, fashion, jewelry, quilting and stained glass are all on display here.
The center offers more than just art you can look at; it also offers art you can listen to. Abingdon is a stop on the Crooked Road Music Trail, and the sounds of Appalachia can be heard on the center’s stage every Thursday night, as well as random other nights throughout the year.
Stop in for an informal concert and you just might hear this generation’s Patsy Cline, Carter Family or Statler Brothers — all Virginia natives.
Now that you are in an artistic frame of mind, visit with the working artists in their studios at the Arts Depot, a creative hub occupying a restored 1870s railroad depot. Then head over to the William King Museum of Art, where five galleries (three with rotating exhibits) display both historic and contemporary Appalachian art.
For a different kind of art, check out the town’s robust dining scene. With 34 independently owned restaurants, Abingdon has more eateries per capita than New York, New Orleans and San Francisco.
It’s not just quantity; it’s quality. USA Today named it one of the South’s “10 Best Small Town Food Scenes,” so you can’t go wrong choosing a spot for every meal.
For breakfast, The Girl & the Raven, with its Southern plates, made-from-scratch pastries and small-batch coffee, shouldn’t be missed. If I could suggest only one thing on the menu, it would be the fluffy Bluegrass Biscuit (scrambled eggs and shredded cheddar on the house-made biscuit).
Pop in for lunch at Jack’s 128 Pecan, loved by locals and visitors for its Southern-inspired dishes (a good example is the Low Country – chicken, sausage, peppers, onions, Cajun cream and penne pasta). But don’t eat too much, as dinner awaits.
One dinner choice should be Rain, where elevated dining and casual comfort come together seamlessly.
You may have a hard time deciding between the butternut squash soup and fried green tomato with green tomato chutney as an appetizer (I did), but I had no trouble settling on the spice-crusted Scottish salmon with pineapple-rum glaze for an entree.
If you’re looking for something a bit different, opt for a progressive tasting at the Abingdon Commons, which features independent outlets such as Delta Blues BBQ, Semolina Pizza, Tin Roof Kitchen and the Pakalachian, a unique concept that blends the flavor profiles of the husband and wife owners’ culinary backgrounds (he’s from Pakistan and she’s from Appalachia).
Wherever else you go, an evening at the Tavern is a must. Built in 1779, it was originally an inn used by distinguished stagecoach passengers such as Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay and King Louis Philippe I of France.
Have a drink at the Tavern’s bar – the oldest in Virginia – and then order dinner by the fireplace (perhaps one of the Tavern’s signature dishes such as Culver duck or Tavern trout).
The Tavern is an ideal choice before a night at Abingdon’s Barter Theater, which no visitor should even think about missing. This Tony Award-winning theater is Virginia’s State Theater, and America’s longest-running professional Equity theater.
When it opened in 1933 during the Depression, it was for the purpose of introducing hungry actors to culture-deprived farmers who could pay for their ticket with livestock and produce.
In honor of its humble beginnings, the theater continues the tradition one day a year when nonperishable goods serve as the price of admission.
The Barter has been the springboard for the careers of such actors as Ernest Borgnine, Patricia Neal, Ned Beatty and, most famously, Gregory Peck, who it’s said knocked on neighborhood doors to ask for props to use in the production.
Across the street from the Barter is another legendary institution – the Martha Washington Inn & Spa, affectionately known as “the Martha.”
George or Martha never slept here as it wasn’t built until 1832, but several presidents (Harry Truman, Jimmy Carter) and first ladies (Eleanor Roosevelt, Lady Bird Johnson) did.
The 63-room inn has a signature restaurant, Sisters, along with a full-service spa, beautiful grounds and an intimate library. However, if you are like me, your favorite spot will likely be the front porch (the length of a New York City block), where you can sink into a rocking chair with your complimentary evening glass of port and enjoy a symphony of soothing night sounds.
Other stops well worth your time include the Abingdon Muster Grounds, where Virginia patriots gathered before the pivotal Revolutionary War Battle of Kings Mountain in 1780 (the Keller Interpretive Center has exhibits highlighting southwest Virginia’s role in the Revolutionary War), and the portion of the 34-mile multi-use Virginia Creeper Trail on the site of a former railway.
I packed a lot into four days, but I still didn’t get to visit the area wineries or do more than casually browse first-rate antique shops such as Holston Mountain Artisans and Antiques, which features the work of more than 100 artists, or try a few more of those independent restaurants.
Which tells me just one thing – Abingdon hasn’t seen the last of me.
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